This invention relates to launchers used to fire projectiles from military and civilian plinths. In particular but not exclusively, the invention relates to a launcher used to fire countermeasure rounds off military ships. More particularly, the launcher is a trainable launcher configured to be adjustable for firing rounds in a range of arcs.
Trainable launchers are known. These consist of a bank of barrels on a base, the barrels are collectively trainable through an elevation arc and by rotation of the base can be trained through an azimuth arc in a plane orthogonal to the elevation arc.
One example of trainable launchers are the New Generation Dagaie System (NGDS). The NGDS is a NATO-compliant, flexible, self-defense electronic warfare unit based on decoy launchers and intended to counter multiple threats such as anti-ship missiles and torpedoes. With a mounting that can be elevated and traversed, the NGDS is integrated in the ship's combat system's detection and warning system. The system has been designed for integration onboard frigates but a lighter version is available for smaller ships (displacement below 1000 t).
A single NGDS system consists of two double-axis launchers each equipped with, for example 12 decoys on the common mounting and a computer that selects the best-suited countermeasure against a given threat. Against missiles the NGDS can employ both infrared and radar decoys and acoustic decoys or jammer against incoming torpedoes. The lighter version aimed at ships under 1,000 t only features a decoy launcher. So far, the NGDS have been selected for integration onboard the French Navy's La Fayette, Horizon and FREMM frigates.
Another example of a trainable launcher is the Rafael Integrated Decoy System (IDS). Whilst configured for different launcher layouts, the Rafael IDS is trained in much the same way as the NGDS.
Trainable launchers on warships need to strike a balance between meeting the requirement to fire as many rounds as possible, providing coverage over as wide a traverse and elevation range as ship safety will allow, minimising its deck footprint, meeting the required accuracy, and having a low centre of gravity and minimising weight.
As described, existing trainable launchers have two axes of freedom with an elevating structure containing all the rounds to be fired, supported through a trunnion arrangement onto a rotating plate. This results in high moments of inertia (MoI) when the launcher is required to align quickly to a new firing angle. This is compounded by significant out of balance forces which are prone to occur when countermeasure rounds are fired and an overall imbalance when they have left the launch tube. Consequently, large motors are needed to drive the launcher, the structure is heavy and its centre of gravity high. As the calibre, length and weight of the rounds increases, known trainable launcher designs for smaller calibres becomes impractical.
The present invention seeks to provide at economical cost, an effective, fully trainable launcher design suited to small and large calibre rounds alike.